Upgrading my iBook G4 too a MacBook

[iano]

Hi Folks,

I bought an iBook G4 with an 80gig Hard Drive and 1gig of RAM last December. I also bought the Apple Protection Plan for it. My reasoning at not waiting for the Intel chips at the time was that I thought they might be a bit buggy for the first while.

Anyway from what I hear the MacBook is a great laptop and not dodgy at all. So I was thinking of selling my iBook and buying one.

The one I had in mind was the 1.83Ghz one with 80gig HardDrive and 1gig of RAM. It would tie in nicely with a new 19" monitor I bought, since clamshell mode is possible with resolutions better than the iBook's maximum of 1024x768.

It would cost a little under 1200euro without the protection plan(which I'm willing to do without, I think ).

I'm just wondering what people think my iBook with protection plan(which I've checked is transferrable) is worth. I might try to sell it to someone I know or on eBay.

The iBook with protection plan cost me a little under 1500euro at the time.

Thanks a million,
Ian

 

[iVersa]

Anyway from what I hear the MacBook is a great laptop and not dodgy at all. So I was thinking of selling my iBook and buying one.
Ian

Sorry to not answer your actual question, but I'd tend to not agree with the above quote at all. I have heard nothing but complaints with hardware faults from the first round of macbooks.

If i were you I'd wait until they release the next round - hopefully things should be a bit sturdier by then, and in the meantime you could use [this] to get a higher resolution on your 19" monitor. I use it for my ibook and am running 1280x1024 on a 19" right now, it works great.

Just my opinion anyway

 

[Osarkon]

Anyway from what I hear the MacBook is a great laptop and not dodgy at all.

Have you not searched this forum? try doing that. you'll see that there are plenty of well-documented issues with the macbook, the most serious at the moment being the Random Shutdown problem. On the other hand, I have a macbook, and so far haven't had any problems whatsoever. As long as it stays like this, i'm happy. It is a great laptop.

EDIT: Damnit, beaten to it. I concur with iVersa

 

[Scarlet Fever]

The MacBooks are good, but they have had their flaws.

I had the random shutdown problems, but i got it fixed up, and i haven't had the problem since.

I do have a weird issue where it doesn't go to sleep when i close the lid... im taking it back to the shop where i got the random shutdown thing fixed up. Should be an easy fix.

if i were in your postion, i would wait for rev B.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Don't listen to the FUD from the likes of iVersa and Osarkon! The large (silent) majority of MacBook owners are rightfully very happy with their machines. The MacBooks are, for all intended purposes, an excellent little workhorse. Don't be intimidated by a (very loud) small minority trying to raise hell over different issues, some of which I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer.

The MacBooks, like all consumer electronics, will have a (small) percentage of lemons, but that's what warranties are for.

Go for the MacBook... it's a large step up from any iBook...

 

[iano]

Valuation

Hi,

thanks for those replies. I've good experience with buying laptops and will check out all of those problem reports.

I'm mainly interested in the value of my iBook G4 though. As I said, it's got 1gig of RAM, an 80gig HardDrive, no superdrive and I paid 1500euro for it. I also have over 2 years left on the protection plan I bought for it

Also, do you think the 2Ghz macbook is worth 200euro over the 1.83Ghz one? I can't imagine it is but maybe some of you think otherwise?

Thanks a lot,
Ian

 

[dextertangocci]

Don't listen to the FUD from the likes of iVersa and Osarkon! The large (silent) majority of MacBook owners are rightfully very happy with their machines. The MacBooks are, for all intended purposes, an excellent little workhorse. Don't be intimidated by a (very loud) small minority trying to raise hell over different issues, some of which I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer.

The MacBooks, like all consumer electronics, will have a (small) percentage of lemons, but that's what warranties are for.

Go for the MacBook... it's a large step up from any iBook...

Yes!!

I have had no probelms with my 2Ghz white MB

 

[Osarkon]

No harm in making sure the guy's informed about the possible problems though is there? Anyone looking to buy a new laptop researches it first. I haven't had problems with mine either, but i'm still aware of the issues some people are having.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Hi,

thanks for those replies. I've good experience with buying laptops and will check out all of those problem reports.

I'm mainly interested in the value of my iBook G4 though. As I said, it's got 1gig of RAM, an 80gig HardDrive, no superdrive and I paid 1500euro for it. I also have over 2 years left on the protection plan I bought for it

Also, do you think the 2Ghz macbook is worth 200euro over the 1.83Ghz one? I can't imagine it is but maybe some of you think otherwise?

Thanks a lot,
Ian

If you want a good quote for how much your iBook is worth search your country's eBay site for "iBook G4", find some auctions for similar laptops and click "Watch this auction in My eBay". That way you can see how much they're going for. You can also search for completed auctions using an advanced search.

 

[saga]

Don't listen to the FUD from the likes of iVersa and Osarkon! The large (silent) majority of MacBook owners are rightfully very happy with their machines. The MacBooks are, for all intended purposes, an excellent little workhorse. Don't be intimidated by a (very loud) small minority trying to raise hell over different issues, some of which I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer.

The MacBooks, like all consumer electronics, will have a (small) percentage of lemons, but that's what warranties are for.

Go for the MacBook... it's a large step up from any iBook...

I agree. I am a very happy owner of a macbook. I just upped it's ram to 2gig, and it is working wonderfully. I did, however, have a problem with the isight shortly after buying it. This was resolved quickly, and of course had no effect on the computer. I am very happy with the macbook, and glad I didn't buy the MBP.

 

[tsk]

Don't listen to the FUD from the likes of iVersa and Osarkon! The large (silent) majority of MacBook owners are rightfully very happy with their machines. The MacBooks are, for all intended purposes, an excellent little workhorse. Don't be intimidated by a (very loud) small minority trying to raise hell over different issues, some of which I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer.

Ummm, I take great offense at: "I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer."

I have a MacBook. Got the brown spots. Fine, I can deal with that and had no intention of doing anything. Had occassional random shutoffs. I could deal with that till it began happening ~ every 15 minutes and wouldn't power on. Had to send it back to Apple. That was 4 weeks ago tomorrow. After 1 week of serious griping, finally got it back today. It worked almost 1 hour before I got the screen you see below.

From my experience, there _IS_ a problem with the heatsink that causes random shutdowns. I don't know how widespread this is (ie if it will affect all of them sooner or later). There _IS_ also a brown spot issue. I don't care about the appearance that much--I can deal with that till a convenient time to replace it. But the random shutdowns is a real problem that users are not imagining.

And, yes, I was very happy with my MacBook until it started random shutdowns.

 

[xfiftyfour]

since you can wait until a rev B comes out, i would.

i'm happy with my macbook and haven't had any problems, but we can't deny that the macbook line has had its share of the "rev a blues." why not wait for an update if you can?

BUT, when the second revision comes, your iBook will be worth even less, so i suppose if you're happy with the macbook as it is now, then go for it.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Ummm, I take great offense at: "I suspect are self inflicted or at least a result of misunderstandings on the part of the complainer."

So you choose to ignore the "some of which", that should be understood as not all, and I didn't even mean it in the most, but - just as it stands - some.

I'm sorry for your problems, but "your experience" doesn't mean anything except to actually prove there are some defect MacBooks - which I also stated in my above post. I don't really care if you're offended by my post above or not, that's your problem, not mine... and your MacBook should be Apple's problem, not your and, definitively, not mine...

 

[skubish]

Hi Folks,

I bought an iBook G4 with an 80gig Hard Drive and 1gig of RAM last December. I also bought the Apple Protection Plan for it. My reasoning at not waiting for the Intel chips at the time was that I thought they might be a bit buggy for the first while.

Anyway from what I hear the MacBook is a great laptop and not dodgy at all. So I was thinking of selling my iBook and buying one.

The one I had in mind was the 1.83Ghz one with 80gig HardDrive and 1gig of RAM. It would tie in nicely with a new 19" monitor I bought, since clamshell mode is possible with resolutions better than the iBook's maximum of 1024x768.

It would cost a little under 1200euro without the protection plan(which I'm willing to do without, I think ).

I'm just wondering what people think my iBook with protection plan(which I've checked is transferrable) is worth. I might try to sell it to someone I know or on eBay.

The iBook with protection plan cost me a little under 1500euro at the time.

Thanks a million,
Ian

Why?
I have an iBook I bought August of 2005 and I see no reason to get a Macbook. All it gives you is FrontRow, iSight, and a slight bigger screen. I don't think you will better performance. Remember also you will be giving up a dedicated video chip for Intel integrated graphics (yuck!).

I would wait until Leopard comes out.

But to answer your original question, you could probably get 600-700Euro for it.

 

[xfiftyfour]

Why?
I have an iBook I bought August of 2005 and I see no reason to get a Macbook. All it gives you is FrontRow, iSight, and a slight bigger screen. I don't think you will better performance. Remember also you will be giving up a dedicated video chip for Intel integrated graphics (yuck!).

I would wait until Leopard comes out.

But to answer your original question, you could probably get 600-700Euro for it.

lol, are you serious? the macbook won't give you better performance over an iBook?! wrong. this thing is faster than my powerbook, which was much faster than your iBook.

your dedicated graphics is crap (32mb?) - the macbook's integrated will perform much better.

with a macbook versus an iBook you'd get:
frontrow
isight
bigger screen
WIDEscreen
faster processor
slimmer and better looking case
better performing graphics
dual boot option
brighter screen
a more "future-proof" laptop

there's more, too, i'm sure...

 

[yoda13]

While you can say that the MacBook has had some highly publicized issues, what I don't think anybody should say is that the iBook is faster....that simply is not true, imo.

 

[Killyp]

Two people at my school have JUST bought MacBooks in the past 2/3 weeks. Both have been fantastic, and they are having no problems at all. They both run cooler than my MacBook Pro.

There are a lot of complaints about the MacBook on MR, but that's because people register and post just because they have had a problem...

 

[skubish]

lol, are you serious? the macbook won't give you better performance over an iBook?! wrong. this thing is faster than my powerbook, which was much faster than your iBook.

your dedicated graphics is crap (32mb?) - the macbook's integrated will perform much better.

with a macbook versus an iBook you'd get:
frontrow
isight
bigger screen
WIDEscreen
faster processor
slimmer and better looking case
better performing graphics
dual boot option
brighter screen
a more "future-proof" laptop

there's more, too, i'm sure...

Great so I can run Safari and Mail 40x faster

Of course on paper it looks better but for practical purposes it really isn't unless you want iSight and Frontrow. Windows...why bother. Brighter screen...mine is fine. If you have a 12" screen then you don't need a 13.3

Obviously a newer machine will be better. IMHO it is not worth selling an iBook to upgrade to MacBook. With the exception of Frontrow, iSight, or Windows I don't think the is one app that the MacBook can run that the iBook can't

 

[xfiftyfour]

Great so I can run Safari and Mail 40x faster

Of course on paper it looks better but for practical purposes it really isn't unless you want iSight and Frontrow. Windows...why bother. Brighter screen...mine is fine. If you have a 12" screen then you don't need a 13.3

Obviously a newer machine will be better. IMHO it is not worth selling an iBook to upgrade to MacBook. With the exception of Frontrow, iSight, or Windows I don't think the is one app that the MacBook can run that the iBook can't

Just because YOU don't value a faster machine for what YOU use it for, does NOT mean that your iBook will have the same performance as the MacBook. It looks better in person, as well, btw - not just on paper. My MacBook is snappier AND prettier than the iBooks.

Why bother with Windows? Because invariably, in a world where (unfortunately) windows is still the standard, it comes up that you need to run something that can't be run in OSX. School programs are the worst for this, and many of my PPC Mac-using peers get frustrated because they have to go out of their way to borrow a friend's computer, or go to the library. I, on the other hand, can open parallels, start Windows, and be done.

As for the screen: again, you're interjecting your own preferences rather than fact. Widescreen is better - the market backs me up on this, as well, as widescreen monitors are much more desireable (and therefore more expensive) than their square counterparts. Just because you can deal with your iBook's screen, doesn't mean that a brighter one isn't nicer. Oh, and the 13.3in has a MUCH better resolution than your iBook's 12. That equates to more workspace = better productivity for the go.

And yes, your iBook can run the same programs as the MacBook - the MacBook will just run them better.

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

Dude rev B is right around the corner. Just wait, it wont be much longer.